Lived Experience Forum

[Phoenix_Rising]

Hi all,

Over the past few days I've been thinking a lot about the idea of focusing more on calming my body, than calming my brain. I am wondering if we spend way too much time focused on trying to calm the mind (e.g. mindfulness) or challenge "faulty" or "negative" thinking as a way of dealing with big feelings such as anxiety, depression, anger etc. I am beginning to think that the answer lies more in calming the body and thereby calming the brain.

Obviously I'm not the first person to think about this. I'm sure we all know about the benefits of physical exercise for good mental health. Also, techniques such as half-smiling draw on this idea. This is where you deliberately smile when you really really don't feel like smiling. Research shows that when we engage in the act of smiling, this produces "happy" chemicals in the brain.

I've just been particularly thinking about it because during sessions, when I become super dysregulated my psychologist has been getting me to do the whole body tensing thing. This is where you tense up every muscle in your body and hold it for as long as you can, and then relax. I tend to do it three times in quick succession, holding the tension for quite a long time at each go. After the third attempt, I physically can't rage anymore. That is, my body is physically exhausted. I really notice how intensely calming it is.

I'm curious to hear about the experiences of others in this area. I think it makes much more sense to me to focus on dealing with the physiological aspects of intense emotions rather than trying to do battle with my brain.

[Lunar]

I can really relate to this @Phoenix_Rising, even just doing some stretches for 15 minutes helps me to calm my mind, I need to do something physical with my body I cannot just sit there and breathe because the thoughts keep coming and then the emotions follow. I will have to try the tensing the body technique and holding, that sounds like a good one 🙂

[Former-Member]

I think the brain is totally connected to the body. I think the brain isn't just the little cauliflower sized organ in your skull, I think it's your spine, heart and central nervous system - and the nerves go from the very bottom the souls of you feet, to the very top of the scalp of your head. It's like we're walking brains. Which is a fairly long-winded way of saying I absolutely agree 🙂 I think having calm thoughts or emotions is much harder if you don't have calm muscles or body, having active thoughts or emotions, much harder without having active muscles or body, so on and so forth. I think having negative things happen to the muscles and body causes negative thoughts and emotions, as having positive things happen to the muscles and body causes positive ones.

I'm not a very physical person anymore and notice my thoughts and emotions suffer when I can't go for my daily walks. I wonder whether the deterioration of my thoughts and emotions are in some way due to my ageing and being unable to be as physical with my muscles and body as I once was? I believe by focusing on the physical body you are focusing on your brain.

[Phoenix_Rising]

@Former-Member yep the brain is definitely connected to the body. In hindsight, I think I should have titled my post calm body, calm mind. It is so silly how we think of the brain as distinct from the body isn't it. I mean, it is just as much a part of the body as the heart, lungs, liver etc.

I am determined to keep working at this idea of focusing on calming my body rather than my mind. I will be interested to hear how you go with the muscle tensing exercise @Lunar. I have been using it over the past few nights when I've been waking in the early hours drenched in sweat. I feel super super SUPER anxious...and no amount of self talk or slow breathing is soothing the anxious feelings. However, by releasing the tension in my body, I find that I do then feel calmer. I like how it is such a purely physiological response, which could be explained in purely phsyiological terms by someone more knowledgeable about this stuff than I am.

By the way, are either of you into yoga @Former-Member or @Lunar? I know some people around here are, but I can't remember who. I know @CherryBomb is. I've been playing around with it at home for quite a few years and I seriously think I need to start getting some formal instruction before I break my neck or something. I'm psyching myself up to go to a class but I am SUPER scared.

[Lunar]

I will try it @Phoenix_Rising it makes sense to me.

I used to do yoga quite a bit but now I am liking doing reformer pilates, as it is a bit faster and more of a work out for me, and the sessions are 45 minutes instead of an hour to an hour and half, and I can sneak it in after work.

It helps me to strengthen my muscles and stretch out my body, and afterwards I feel like I am walking on clouds, my body feels amazing and all of the stresses and unhelpful emotions I had before are completely gone, it is the only thing that does that for me. I just wish I could go everyday instead of struggling to fit it in twice a week.

Be careful at home and sometimes you can try different classes at times when there is hardly any people if that is what is making you scared? I was quite scared when I first started my classes too, I think it took me about 3 years to work up the courage to start doing them and justify that it was worth the money, I wish I started years ago now that I know how good it is and how much it helps me. xx

[Former-Member]

Hello @Phoenix_Rising, I've never done any official yoga and now wish that I had. My joints and spine aren't so good anymore, but I think if you can still stand on your head, you should strive as hard as you can to get to one of those classes 🙂

[outlander]

this is a great thread @Phoenix_Rising

i too beleive that mind and body are connected as well but i dont ahve very good control over either of them

ive heard of the muscle relaxation (muscle tense then release) but ive never tried it myself. i ahvent tried yoga yet

but i ahve done deep breathing./meditation type thing and that sometimes works

[Phoenix_Rising]

@Lunar, @CherryBomb and any other people out there who do yoga, I have a very important question. So...I am still psyching myself up to do a class. One of my greatest angsts is what to wear and I have a question that I feel I can only ask on an anonymous forum. I'm shy...ok, I'm just going to ask...you know the super tight yoga pants? Are you supposed to wear underpants when you wear them? There, I asked.

[outlander]

Hehe your so cute @Phoenix_Rising i dont do yoga but i wear tights all the time and still wear underwear but i guess its whatever you feel comfortable with. Try it with amd without before you go and see which ones more comfy for you

[Lunar]

This was the thing that put me off exercise for SO LONG until I just went and bought myself some nice work out clothing that I felt comfortabe in, it really helped motivate me to get there! I wear those tight legging things with underwear underneath 🙂 I guess it depends on what is comfy but it does get sweaty sometimes in that region haha @Phoenix_Rising